1794, he was appointed to the command of the frigate Constellation. Being sent to protect the American commerce in the West Indies, he captured the French frigate L'Insurgente, though of superior force, Feb. 9th, 1799. In February of the next year, he obtained a victory over the La Vengeance of 54 guns and 500 men, though she afterwards escaped him. He died at Philadelphia, May, 1822.

Vane, Sir Henry, governor of Massachusetts, was born in England, and educated at Oxford. He then went to Geneva, where he became a republican, and found arguments against the established church. On his return to London, as his non-conformity displeased the bishop, he came to New England in the beginning of 1635. In the next year, though he was only twenty-four years of age, he was chosen governor; but attaching himself to the party of Mrs. Hutchinson, he was in 1637 superseded by governor Winthrop. He soon returned to England, where he joined the party against the king, though he was opposed to the usurpation of Cromwell. After the restoration, he was tried for high treason, and beheaded, June 14, 1662, aged fifty years. Hume, in his history of England, represents his conduct at his execution, in a manner which renders him an object of admiration.

Ward, Artemas, the first major-general in the army of the American revolution, was graduated at Harvard College in 1748. He served in the army during the French war. He was chosen a member of congress in 1774, and in 1775 appointed the first major general. He resigned his commission in 1776, and was elected to a seat in congress both before and after the adoption of the present constitution. He was greatly esteemed for his integrity, independence, and fidelity. He died at Shrewsbury in 1800.

Warren, Joseph, a major general in the American army, was born in Roxbury, Mass., in 1740, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1759. He studied medicine, and rose to eminence in this profession. He distinguished himself at an early period of the revolution, by a bold and zealous opposition to the arbitrary measures of the British government. Four days previously to the battle of Bunker Hill, he received his commission of major general. He was the first victim of rank that fell in the struggle with Great Britain.

Warren, Mercy, was the wife of general James Warren, and daughter of the Hon. James Otis, of Barnstable, Mass. Her connection with these distinguished persons, was the means of leading her into an acquaintance and correspondence with several leading revolutionary characters. The advantages she thus enjoyed, led her to write a "History of the American Revolution," which was published in 3 volumes 8vo, Boston, 1805. She died in Plymouth, October, 1814. Wentworth, Benning, governor of New Hampshire, was a native of that state, and graduated at Harvard College in 1715. He resided at Portsmouth, and employed himself in merchandize. After having a seat both in the house of representatives and in the council, he was, in 1741, when that colony obtained a distinct government, appointed its governor, and held the office nearly twenty years. He was superseded in 1767, and died in 1770, in his seventy-fifth year.

Wheelock, Eleazer, D. D., first president of Dartmouth College, was

graduated at Yale College, in 1733. He was settled at Lebanon, Conn, where he formed a school for the instruction of Indian youth for missionaries. He removed to Hanover, N. H., and founded Dartmouth College, 1770. He died in 1774, aged sixty-eight.

Whipple, William, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was a delegate from New Hampshire. In 1777 he was appointed a brigadier general of the troops of He was a member of the executive council, and a judge of the supreme He died at Portsmouth, November, 1785.

that state.

court.

E tohitney

Fac simile of Eli Whitney's hand writing.

Whitney, Eli, the celebrated inventor of the cotton gin, was born at Westborough, Mass, December 8th, 1765, and graduated at Yale College in 1792. While pursuing the study of law in Georgia, he resided with the widow of general Greene, and it was at this time that he invented the cotton gin, In 1798 he contracted with

a machine for separating the seed from the cotton.
the United States to furnish, for $134,000, ten thousand stand of arms, which he
completed in ten years. He next contracted for fifteen thousand stand of arms.
He died, January 8th, 1825, aged fifty-nine.

yo most unworthy stum
Rogre Williams

Fac simile of Roger Williams' hand writing.

Williams, Roger, the founder of Rhode Island, was born in Wales in 1599. After being for some time a minister in the Church of England, his non-conformity induced him to seek religious liberty in America. He died in April, 1683. His memory is deserving of lasting honor, for the liberty of conscience, and generous toleration which he established.

Williams, Ephraim, founder of Williams College, Massachusetts, was a native of Newton, in that state. Possessing superior military talents, he was entrusted with the command of the line of the Massachusetts forts on the west side of Connecticut river, during the French war. At this period, he resided chiefly at Hoosic fort, in the limits of the present town of Adams, Mass. In 1755 he received the command of a regiment, and joined Gen. Johnson to the northward of Albany. He was killed in an ambuscade of the enemy on the 8th of September. He gave his property for the establishment of a free school in the town now called Williamstown, on condition that it should bear that name.

Williams, Samuel, LL. D. professor in Harvard College, was born at Waltham, Massachusetts, and graduated at Harvard college in 1761. He was ordained minister of Bradford, November 20th, 1765, where he continued until his appointment as professor of mathemat ics and natural philosophy. After holding that office from 1780 to 1788, he resigned and removed to Rutland, Vermont, where he resided during the remainder of his life. He was a fellow of the Amer

ican Academy, of the American Philosophical Society, and of the Meteorological Society of Manchester, and published several astronomical and other papers in the scientific journals. His principal work was the Natural and Civil History of Vermont, originally published in 1 vol. 8vo. 1794, and afterwards continued and published in 2 vols. Winchester, Elhanan, an itinerant preacher of the doctrine of restoration, was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1751. Without an academical education he commenced preaching, and was the first minister of the baptist church in Newton. In 1778 he was a minister on Pedee river in South Carolina, zealously teaching the Calvinistic doctrines, as explained by Dr. Gill. In the following year his labors were very useful among the negroes. In 1781 he became a preacher of universal salvation in Philadelphia, where he remained several years. He afterwards endeavored to propagate his sentiments in various parts of America and England. He died at Hartford, Connecticut, in April, 1797, in the forty-sixth year of his age.

Winslow, Edward, governor of Plymouth colony, was born in 1594, in Worcestershire, and came to this country with the first settlers of New England in 1620. Possessing great activity and resolution, he was eminently useful. He went repeatedly to England as an agent for the colony. In 1633 he was chosen governor in the place of Mr. Bradford, and again in 1636 and 1644. He exerted his influence in England to form the society for propagating the gospel among the Indians, which was incorporated in 1649. In 1643, he was appointed a commissioner of the United Colonies, and in 1655, a commissioner to superintend the expedition against the Spaniards

in the West Indies, and died near Jamaica, May 8th, 1655, in the sixty first year of his age. He was the first man married in New England, and married Mrs. White, the mother of the first English child born here.

Winslow, Josiah, governor of Plymouth, the son of the preceding, was chosen governor in 1673, and was continued in this office till 1680. In Philip's War he was commander of the Plymouth forces. He died at Marshfield in 1680 in the 52d year of his age. His grandson, John Winslow, was a major general in the British service in several expeditions to Kennebec, Nova Scotia, and Crown Point. He died at Hingham in 1774, aged seventy-one years.

Winthrop, John, first governor of Massachusetts, was born at Groton, in Suffolk, England, June 12th, 1587. He arrived with the first colonists of Massachusetts at Salem, June 12th, 1630, having a commission as their governor. They soon after removed to Boston. He was elected to the office of governor annually, with the exception of 6 or 7 years, till his death, in 1649, and rendered the most important services to the colony by his judicious administration, his prudent examples as a private man, and his wealth, which was very large, and liberally devoted to the good of the public. He was eminent for uprightness, prudence, piety, and public spirit. He kept a minute journal of the events of the colony down to 1644.

JoEn wat Evop

Winthrop, John, governor of Connecticut, was the son of the preceding, and his fine genius was improved by a liberal education in the universities of Cambridge and of Dublin, and by travel upon the continent. He arrived at Boston in October, 1635, with authority to make a settlement in Connecticut, and the next month despatched a number

of persons to build a fort at Saybrook. He was chosen governor in 1657 and again in 1659, and from that period he was annually reelected till his death. In 1661 he went to England and procured a charter, incorporating Connecticut and New Haven into one colony. He died at Boston, April 5, 1676, in the seventy first year of his age. He possessed a rich variety of knowledge, and was particularly skilled in chemistry and physic. His valuable qualities as a gentleman, a Christian, a philosopher, and a magistrate, secured to him universal respect. He published some valuable communications in the philosophical transactions.

Witherspoon, John, D. D. LL. D. president of the college at New Jersey, was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1722, and was lineally descended from John Knox. He was educated at Edinburgh, and became one of the most distinguished of Scotch preachers. He was invited to remove to several distinguished cities in Europe, but at length accepted the presidency of the college at Princeton, New Jersey, and came with his family to this place in 1768. The Revolutionary war dispersing the students, he was called to engage in civil employments. In 1776, he was appointed a member of congress, and retained a seat in that body till the end of the war. He was a signer of the declaration of Independence. He died in 1794 in the seventy-third year of his age. His works were published in 4 vols. with an account of his life by Dr. Rogers.

Wolcott, Roger, governor of Connecticut, was born at Windsor, Con. in 1679, was bred a weaver, and rose to distinction without even the advantages of a common school education, during his early years. He was commissary of the Connecticut forces in the expedition against Canada in 1711. At the capture of Louisburg in 1745, he bore the commission of major general. He died in 1767 in the eightyninth year of his age. He had some poetical talent and wrote several pieces, the chief of which is preserved in the collections of the Massachusetts Hist. Soc. It describes with considerable minuteness the Pequot war.

Wolcott, Oliver, LL. D. son of the preceding, a signer of the declaration of Independence, and governor of Connecticut, was born at East Windsor, Con. Dec. 1725. He was graduated at Yale college in 1747, and the next year commanded a company of soldiers in the French war. Retiring from the military service, he studied physic. In 1751, he was appointed sheriff of Litchfield county, Con. and in 1774 a representative in congress. He was chosen governor in 1796, and died the next year in the seventy-second year of his age. His son Oliver Wolcott was born in 1760. In 1794, he succeeded Gen. Hamilton as secretary of the treasury. In 1817, he was elected governor of Connecticut, which office he held till 1827. He died in New York in June, 1833, being the last survivor of the administration of Washington.

Wooster, David, major general in the Revolutionary war, was born at Stratford in 1711, and was graduated at Yale college in 1738. At the commencement of the war with Great Britain he was appointed to the chief command of the troops in the service of Connecticut, and made a brigadier general in the continental service; but this commission he afterwards resigned. In 1776 he was appointed the first major general of the militia of his native State. While opposing a detachment of British troops, whose object was to